The Bombastic Meatbats, featuring Chad Smith of Red Hot Chili Peppers and Chickenfoot fame, are back already with another serving of their jazz, rock, and funk fusion (read our review of their debut record here, which hit the iTUNES Top 10 Jazz albums and reached #48 on Billboard’s Jazz Albums Chart last year). “More Meat” is exactly what the title implies – another instrumental jam session by these ultra-talented musicians that aims to throw as many musical genres as they can into the frying pan.
Chad Smith and his fellow meatbats (Ed Roth on keys, Jeff Kollman on guitar, and Kevin Chown on bass) have even greater chemistry this time around. The 60+ minute record flows easily and, despite the musical variation, gels remarkably well, perhaps due to the fact that these jams were recorded in just a three day weekend. The first single is “Shag”, which has amore written all over it, slinking through your ear canal like vintage 70s silk. “Shag” proves that the Meatbats don’t give a damn about the world’s overpopulation problem. “Roller Girl” is another cool tune that stood out for me, with its retro lounge feel peppered with feisty modern guitar licks. But the greatest highlight for me was the opener, “Passing The Ace”, which finds the Bombastic Meatbats firing on all pistons to deliver the most accessible piece they’ve put to tape yet. Some of the tracks marinade a bit too long and still come out dry, but overall “More Meat” is melt in your mouth tasty.
There is a jam on here to suit whatever mood you find yourself in, and if you play Bombastic Meatbats at your next party it will surely be a topic of conversation. “More Meat” will be available October 19. But go to iTUNES for it, not your local butcher.
The band also gave permission to offer you a free download – check it out here!
Bombastic Meatbats on MySpace. Official site.
